What are Dental Sealants?

Even if you brush your teeth twice daily with toothpaste and floss once daily, home dental tools aren’t always enough to clean every part of your mouth and prevent cavities. Toothbrush bristles can’t always reach deep areas of the mouth. This is one reason it’s important to get a professional cleaning done regularly. 

Some people think fluoride is the answer to this problem. The fluoride in toothpaste remineralizes your teeth and can strengthen and protect enamel, but because it can only go where your toothbrush can take it, it also isn’t as protective of these hard-to-reach areas. Thankfully, there is a dental tool that can protect these problematic parts of your mouth: dental sealants.

What are dental sealants?

Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings that are painted on the areas of teeth that see the most chewing. They are usually painted onto back teeth like molars and premolars. Sealants bond with teeth and create a protective coating which helps prevent tooth decay and cavities.

How do dental sealants work?

To understand how sealants work, it helps to first understand how cavities and tooth decay work. When bacteria collect in the pockets of your teeth, they feed on food particles caught there, especially sugar. They then produce acids that deteriorate tooth particles and eventually create holes, which are commonly known as cavities. Sealants prevent both food particles and bacteria from collecting and doing damage.

Sealant application is easy and completely painless. It only takes a few minutes. First, your hygienist (or dentist) thoroughly cleans your teeth. They then dry and isolate whatever teeth will be sealed using an absorbent material. Your specialist will then add an etching solution to each tooth to roughen it, which helps the sealant bond. The solution is washed off after a few seconds and the tooth is dried once again. Lastly, the sealant is applied. Some sealants dry and harden on their own in just a few minutes, but others harden when your specialist exposes them to a curing light.

How long do sealants last?

Dental sealants vary in their longevity. Some last for many years without their effectiveness lessening. Others get damaged and can fall off. When this happens, they’ll need to be replaced. Unfortunately, it isn’t always clear to a patient when a sealant is damaged or missing, so the only way to be sure your sealants are still doing their job is to get regular checkups with their dentist. Returning to the same dentist that applied your sealants is a great way to ensure they’ll be checked.

Who should get dental sealants?

Dental sealants are not at risk for harming anyone, so they may be a good option for children or adults of any age. However, children are at the greatest risk for tooth decay due not only to sugary diets, but also teeth that are still developing. For many children, the best option is to get dental sealants as soon as their adult teeth come in. Sealants can protect their teeth for as much as eight years.

The only people who should not get sealants are those whose mouths are already showing signs of severe tooth decay. Dental sealants are great for prevention, but they don’t treat decay and cavities. It’s important to get any existing problems taken care of before sealants are applied to prevent further damage.

However, some dentists may recommend putting sealants over cavities that are in very early stages of decay. Because sealants are often clear, your dentist will be able to monitor the tooth to make sure the sealant is doing its job. Only your dentist will be able to tell you if this is an option for your cavities.

Should you rely on dental sealants?

It’s true that dental sealants are extremely useful and efficient. The Center for Disease Control estimates that sealants protect against 80% of cavities for over two years and 50% for two more years. But just because you get dental sealants doesn’t mean you don’t need to care for your teeth in other ways. Even with sealants, you should still brush your teeth twice daily and floss once daily. It’s also essential to continue visiting your dentist for regular checkups to ensure sealants are still intact and working properly.

Come visit Great Salt Plains Health Center

If you are interested in dental sealants for either yourself or your child, schedule an appointment with Great Salt Plains Health Center for a checkup. While you’re in the office, our dentist may recommend sealants. You’re also welcome to ask us if we think sealants might be a good fit. Take a look at our locations and contact us today to make an appointment.